Feb 26, 2021
Lantern Festival 2021
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle honors the annual celebration, known as the Lantern Festival, a treasured occasion signaling the finale of Lunar New Year celebrations all over the world.
The Lantern Festival tradition has been practiced for more than 2000 years, dating back to China’s Han Dynasty. Once known as Shang Yuan, early lantern festivals were designed as offerings to the gods, and families lit lanterns near their homes to represent a holy place.
Since its inception, the Lantern Festival is now celebrated across Asian and around the globe with illuminating art installations, in addition to lanterns of various sizes and designs. The lanterns are painted with everything from pandas to cats, and each have their own meaning, such as great fortune or luck in a relationship.
Happy Lantern Festival!
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